Bob Bodor, left, RPI head football coach, and John Audino, Union head football coach hold the Dutchman Shoes trophy as they pose for photographers at the East Campus Athletic Village at RPI on Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2012 in Troy, NY. RPI and Union football will meet on Saturday for the 112th Dutchman Shoes football game. (Paul Buckowski / Times Union) less

Bob Bodor, left, RPI head football coach, and John Audino, Union head football coach hold the Dutchman Shoes trophy as they pose for photographers at the East Campus Athletic Village at RPI on Wednesday, Nov. ... more

Photo: Paul Buckowski

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Bob Bodor, left, RPI head football coach, and John Audino, Union head football coach hold the Dutchman Shoes trophy as they pose for photographers at the East Campus Athletic Village at RPI on Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2012 in Troy, NY. RPI and Union football will meet on Saturday for the 112th Dutchman Shoes football game. (Paul Buckowski / Times Union) less

Bob Bodor, left, RPI head football coach, and John Audino, Union head football coach hold the Dutchman Shoes trophy as they pose for photographers at the East Campus Athletic Village at RPI on Wednesday, Nov. ... more

Photo: Paul Buckowski

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Eric McDowell, foreground, assistant athletic director, sports information for Union College, carries the Dutchman Shoes trophy after it was used in a photograph with Bob Bodor, far left, RPI head football coach, and John Audino, second from left, Union head football coach at the East Campus Athletic Village at RPI on Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2012 in Troy, NY. RPI and Union football will meet on Saturday for the 112th Dutchman Shoes football game. (Paul Buckowski / Times Union) less

Eric McDowell, foreground, assistant athletic director, sports information for Union College, carries the Dutchman Shoes trophy after it was used in a photograph with Bob Bodor, far left, RPI head football ... more

Photo: Paul Buckowski

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A view of the Dutchman Shoes trophy on display at a press conference at the East Campus Athletic Village at RPI on Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2012 in Troy, NY. The sides of the trophy are engraved with the winning school's name and the score from each year. RPI and Union football will meet on Saturday for the 112th Dutchman Shoes football game. (Paul Buckowski / Times Union) less

A view of the Dutchman Shoes trophy on display at a press conference at the East Campus Athletic Village at RPI on Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2012 in Troy, NY. The sides of the trophy are engraved with the winning ... more

Photo: Paul Buckowski

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The Dutchman Shoes trophy is seen in the foreground as John Audino, Union head football coach addresses those gathered for a press conference at the East Campus Athletic Village at RPI on Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2012 in Troy, NY. RPI and Union football will meet on Saturday for the 112th Dutchman Shoes football game. (Paul Buckowski / Times Union) less

The Dutchman Shoes trophy is seen in the foreground as John Audino, Union head football coach addresses those gathered for a press conference at the East Campus Athletic Village at RPI on Wednesday, Nov. 7, ... more

Photo: Paul Buckowski

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Bob Bodor, RPI head football coach addresses those gathered for a press conference at the East Campus Athletic Village at RPI on Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2012 in Troy, NY. RPI and Union football will meet on Saturday for the 112th Dutchman Shoes football game. (Paul Buckowski / Times Union) less

Bob Bodor, RPI head football coach addresses those gathered for a press conference at the East Campus Athletic Village at RPI on Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2012 in Troy, NY. RPI and Union football will meet on ... more

Photo: Paul Buckowski

Image 8 of 9

A view of the Dutchman Shoes trophy on display at a press conference at the East Campus Athletic Village at RPI on Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2012 in Troy, NY. RPI and Union football will meet on Saturday for the 112th Dutchman Shoes football game. (Paul Buckowski / Times Union) less

A view of the Dutchman Shoes trophy on display at a press conference at the East Campus Athletic Village at RPI on Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2012 in Troy, NY. RPI and Union football will meet on Saturday for the ... more

Photo: Paul Buckowski

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RPI coach hopes the Shoes fit

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TROY — The RPI football team can't win the Liberty League title or reach the NCAA playoffs with a victory over Union on Saturday in Troy.

However, the Engineers can get back the coveted Dutchman Shoes Trophy from their arch-rival, and by doing so, help acting head coach Bob Bodor bolster the case for keeping his job.

RPI (5-3 overall, 3-3 league) and Union (5-4, 5-1) meet for the 110th time in the regular-season finale for both teams.

RPI promoted Bodor, also the defensive coordinator, to head coach in June after Tim Landis and then Guido Falbo resigned. RPI plans to open a national search after this season.

After starting 5-1, the Engineers dropped out of title contention the past two weeks with losses to Hobart and Springfield by a combined 49 points.

More Information

At a glance

What: Union at RPI in the battle for the Dutchman Shoes Trophy

When, where: Noon Saturday, East Campus Stadium, Troy

Radio: WABY (1160 AM), WRPI (91.5 FM)

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Bodor said he's not given his job status much thought.

"I don't know," he said. "It's just not something I've been really focused on. Quite honestly, I'm already planning on going recruiting next week. These things will take care of themselves."

RPI athletic director Jim Knowlton said Bodor "is a great fit" for the school and has worked well with the athletes. Knowlton said Bodor will be considered when RPI conducts its national search after the season.

"(Bodor) has done such a great job that he's certainly earned some great respect, and he's going to get a great, hard look," Knowlton said.

Asked if a win over Union would help Bodor's cause, Knowlton laughed and said, "I'm sure it would. But the wins and losses aren't the only thing. He's done a nice job from an academic standpoint, from just managing the team. We're really pleased."

The Engineers lost the Shoes trophy last year with 38-28 loss to Union in Schenectady that knocked RPI out of contention for the Liberty League title.

Union has beaten RPI two of the past three seasons.

This will be the final college game for the seniors on both teams, unless either Union or RPI gets a postseason bid to an ECAC bowl game. While Union could share the regular-season title with Hobart, the Dutchmen wouldn't get the automatic NCAA playoff berth because of their head-to-head loss with the Statesmen two weeks ago.

Dutchmen senior fullback Tim Hersey dreaded the thought of walking off a football field for the final time with a loss to RPI.

"As a senior, it's going to make or break how I look back at my career," said Hersey, a Buffalo native.

This will be the first time since 2007 that Union and RPI will meet in the final game of the regular season.

Knowlton said he and Union athletic director Jim McLaughlin asked the Liberty League to move the rivalry game to the back of the schedule, where it will stay for the next four seasons.

"We said, 'This is just too special a game,' and normally, at the end of the year, it means something for both of our teams," Knowlton said. "We thought at the end of the year, it's sort of like the Army-Navy game. It's always at the end of the year, and you always look forward to it."

The game will feature two talented quarterbacks in RPI senior Mike Hermann and Union sophomore Connor Eck. Hermann leads the Liberty League with 21 touchdown passes and 260 yards passing per game. Eck is tied for second with 15 touchdown passes.